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I’ve voted in every election since I was 18. Only three times, in all those elections, did my candidate win.

I wasn’t happy, but I prayed for the safety and success of the new President. I wouldn’t let my disappointment feed hate. I certainly never protested or threatened the supporters of the newly elected President.

I’m praying today for so many out there who have believed the lies that Trump supporters are hateful, intolerant bigots. Praying they will search for truth and stop feeding hate with the lies.

Praying they will not ruin their own futures by lashing out in anger and hurting others.

Praying for the safety of innocent people and the protection of our President. Just as I did when Obama, Clinton, and the Bush’s were the Presidents.

#LoveTrumpsHate

I believe that statement. I just think so many people have NO clue what real love looks like. Love that loves even when you don’t agree with someone else. Understanding. Hope. Gentleness. Peace.

A two-year study by researchers at the Brain and Creativity Institute (BCI) at the University of Southern California shows that exposure to music and music instruction accelerates the brain development of young children in the areas responsible for language development, sound, reading skill and speech perception.

The study of 6-7-year-old children began in 2012, when neuroscientists started monitoring a group of 37 children from an underprivileged neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Thirteen of them received music instruction through the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles Program where they practiced up to seven hours each week.

Eleven children were enrolled in a community-based soccer programme, and another 13 children were not involved in any training programme at all.

The researchers compared the three groups by tracking the electrical activity in the brains, conducting behavioural testing and monitored changes using brain scans.

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But, one Friday evening when he was about 16, he came to our youth night with a few of his friends. I was SO excited he was there!

He was playing volleyball and having a good time. Then abruptly I saw his attitude change. He and his friends were leaving. I ran to ask why…

He told me that he and his friends were asked by a youth leader to leave the volleyball court while they took photos for an upcoming brochure or something. He & his friends didn’t look like the kinds of kids they wanted on the brochure.

He looked at me and said, “I’m done. I don’t need this little social club. I’ll never come back.” My apologies couldn’t help. He never returned to church.

Concern over some sleeveless shirts and maybe a tattoo or two pushed at least two people away from church that night and soured several others. More importantly they were pushed away from a loving God that wasn’t concerned at ALL about the tshirts and tattoos.

My heart broke for him. Over the years, I’ve seen countless people driven away by a church that said, “We love you…we just don’t like you the way you are.”

“Love people,” was Jesus’ command. Yet sometimes it feels like agendas are more important than people in the church.

Love people as Jesus did. Just as they are…
Humbly,

Heather
heatheryanta.com

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Be the best version of you and enjoy life. Be kind to people who cross your path each day.
Give your spouse & children your best – not the leftovers.
Even then, you’ll find people who won’t like you, find fault with what you do (or don’t do), or disapprove of you for whatever reason.
Keep your head up. Keep smiling. Keep living life fully.
Don’t give the critics the time of day and remember that those who praise you can change their opinion quickly.
Put your hope in God and look to His opinion only. People are fickle and so limited in our understanding. God is unchanging & infinitely wise.
Humbly,

Heather

#LessonsLearned

#PassOnToOurChildren

#RelationshipNotReligion

#GodLovesYou

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When we were younger, “love” was romantic, flowery, and ethereal. It gave us giggles, goosebumps, and girlish notions.
Blessed are those of us who have fallen in love ~ even while still somewhat suffering from girlish notions ~ but have discovered in our years of marriage that romance isn’t always like in poetry and songs.

We are blessed to find men that see the value in being role models actively in their children’s lives, taking care of their wives, working hard each day, and lending a helping hand to those around him.
I smile to myself when I see a daydreaming young woman pining over romance and diamonds, chocolates and flowers, and a cute boy with dreamy eyes.

I pray for her as well…that one day she will know the steady love of a man that may not show her his love by regularly penning a flowery poem…But he is writing a love story to her with his life which is built on trusting God, working hard, helping others, and making dreams come true for his family.

I am blessed with such a man and am thankful!
Don’t get me wrong ~ I love chocolates, flowers, and jewelry as much as the next gal! Those things simply have no place in measuring a man’s worth or his love. (Nor should we measure by whether or not he leaves the lid down. Just sayin’.)
Real love is present and accounted for every day, in the hard times, the monotonous times, and not so pretty times when romance has hit the door running because it isn’t tough or determined enough to handle real life.

May your life be filled with love. The real, down to earth, never give up kind of love.